Lever-shield



(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheen 1.

H. G. DITTBENNER. LEVER SHIELD.

No. 594,608. Patnted Nov. 30, 1897.

we mams Przns co. Pnoaurno., wAsmNcroN. o. u.

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

H. G. DITTBENNER LEVER SHIELD.

No. 594,608.v Patented Nov. so', 1897.

,faire raras .maar temen.

HERMANN G. DITTBENNER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

LEVER-SHIELD.

srncrricnfrron farming Sart of Letters Patent No. 594,608, datedNovember so, 1897.

Application filed January 20, 1897. Serial No. 619,989. (No model.)

T 1f/ZZ whom it muy concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN G. DITTBEN- NER, of Minneapolis, Hennepincounty, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inLever-Shields, ofwhich the, following is a specification.

My invention relates to shields or guards for levers used in startingand stopping machinery; and the particular object of my invention is toprovide a shield for levers that are used to operate sawmill-carriagesto protect the hand of the operator from injury in case of a breakage ofthe saw or other part of the machinery; and a further object is toprevent the lever itself from being damaged or rendered inoperative andthe control of the carriage thereby lost should a portion of themachinery or a piece of lumber be accidentally thrown against the same.

My invention consists generally in a hollow upright shield or guardprovided at its upper end with a slot or opening to receive the upperend 'of the lever-arm, and said shield being provided on the side nextthe saw-carriage with an upward extension, forming a guard to protectthe hand of the operator, all as hereinafter described,and particularlypointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figurel is a side elevation of a shield embodying my invention, the band-sawwheels and frame being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view of the shield, showing the lever in position within thesame. Fig. 3 is a sectional view looking at the front of the shield orguard. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the shield, showing its position inrelation to the band-saw.

In thedrawings, 2 represents the flooring of the mill,vupon which `theband-wheels 3 and 4 are supported by suitable framework 5.

A lever 6 extends up through the ioor of the mill near the band-saw 7and in position to be grasped by the hand of the operator when it is.desired to move the sawmill-carriage. I have found that when the leveris' placed in this position in close proximity to the saw the operator,having his hand unprotected, is in great danger of having it out off orseriously injured by the ends of the band-sawshould a breakage occur,and I have also found that if the lower portion of the lever isunprotected it is liable to be damaged and rendered inoperative by logsor pieces of machinery being thrown against it, so that the operatorwill lose control of the carriage and be unable to stop the same whendesired. For the purpose of obviating this danger and to protect thehand of the Operator I provide a shield or guard consisting of the heavyupright casting 8, securely fastened to the floor at the point where thelever passes through the same and extending up by the side of the leverto the point where the same is grasped by the hand of the operator.

The shield tapers from the top toward the bottom and is provided withthe feet or flanges 9, through which pass the bolts 10, by means ofwhich the device is secured to the oor of the mill. The casting 8 isprovided at its lower end, on the inner surface, with the lugs l1,through which pass the bolt l2, and also through the lever-arm, therebyforming a riged bearing for thesame. The upper end ofthe casting 8 isprovided with a slot 13, extending, preferably, the entire length of theupper end of the casting, and through which extends the upper end of thelever. The length of the slot may be regulated according to the travelofthe lever, so that the shield will in no way impede the free movenientof the same in either direction.

The shield being very strongly made it is evident that it will mosteffectually protect the lever itself from being damaged by logs orbroken machinery that may be thrown in its direction during theoperation of sawing.

In order to protect the hand of the operator, I provide at the upper endof the shield, between the lever and the carriage, an outwardlycurvedextension 14, which is preferably cast with the main portion of theshield and eX- tends considerably above the handle or upper end of thelever, as shown in Fig. 2. This extension 14 preferably has acurvedouter surface to deect any article that may be thrown against it, and itis also provided with the ears or lugs l5 at each end to deflect theends of the band-saw should it break and its ends be thrown against theshield.

I have found that with circular saws the extension let may be dispensedwith, as the operator is not in as much danger of being in- IOO juredfrom a breakage of the saw as when the band-saw is used. I may thereforeconstruct the part 14 independently of the lower portion of the shieldand only use it when the lever is used to operate a band-saw. I prefer,however, to make the shield as shown in the drawings, and when so madeit maw7 be used either in connection with a circular or band Saw, asdesired. Instead of casting the shield in one piece I may make the sidenext to the operator removable, so that access may he had at any time tothe interior of the shield and the lever.

I am aware that devices have been made to be placed over alever to limitthe movement of the same; but such devices do not form a guard or shieldto protect the lever, being open at the sides and ends, so that a largeportion of the lever is exposed to injury by a breakage in the machineryor accident in handling the logs while sawing, while the device I haveshown, being composed of a solid casting, forms a continuous wall aroundthe lever and completely shields the same from injury.

The opening in the floor through which the lever passes is of suflieient size to permit sawdust or other foreign matter that may dropthrough the slot lfl to pass down through the shield and out at thebottom without clogging the lever, and I also provide holes or openings16 in the lower side walls of the casting S, which aid in clearing theshield of any foreign matter that may fall down intoit through the slotduring the operation of sawing.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. Alever-shield,comprisingabase orlower portionforming a wall about the lower portion of the lever, andihaving anopening in its top to receive the upper portion of the same, and saidshield being also provided with an extension projecting above the handleof said lever, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with the pivotedlever, of the shell or casing arranged over the same, means for securingsaid casing in an upright position, said casinghaving an opening at itsupper end to receive the upper end of saidlever, an extension providednear the upper end of saidcasing, said extension having a curved outersurface, and the ears provided on said Surface; for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th dayofJanuary, A. D. 1897.

HERMANN G. DIT' TBENNER. In presence of- RICHARD PAUL, M. E. GooLEY.

